IP Library Granted Patent US 10,519,781
Granted Patent B2
US 10,519,781 · App. 15/404,252 · Granted Dec 31, 2019

Airfoil turn caps in gas turbine engines

Inventor: Brandon W. Spangler (Vernon, CT)
Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
F01D5/187F01D9/041F01D25/12F05D2220/32F05D2230/237F05D2260/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,519,781
App. No.
15/404,252
Granted
Dec 31, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Airfoils having hollow bodies defining first and second airfoil cavities and having inner and outer diameter ends, a first airfoil platform at one end of the hollow body having a gaspath surface and a non-gaspath surface, wherein the hollow body extends from the gaspath surface. A first cavity opening is formed in the non-gaspath surface of the platform to fluidly connect to the first airfoil cavity and a second cavity opening in the platform is fluidly connected to the second airfoil cavity. A first turn cap is fixedly attached to the first airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface covering the first and second cavity openings of the first airfoil platform and defines a first turning cavity such that the first cavity opening in the first airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening in the first airfoil platform by the first turning cavity.

Claims (43)

1. An airfoil of a gas turbine engine comprising:

a hollow body defining a first airfoil cavity and a second airfoil cavity, the hollow body having an inner diameter end and an outer diameter end;

a first airfoil platform at one of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end of the hollow body, the first airfoil platform having a gaspath surface and a non-gaspath surface, wherein the hollow body extends from the gaspath surface;

a first cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connected to the first airfoil cavity;

a second cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connected to the second airfoil cavity;

a first turn cap fixedly attached to the first airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface covering the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and defining a first turning cavity such that the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform by the first turning cavity; and

a first baffle positioned within the first airfoil cavity.

2. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is a curved body that forms a bowed vane.

3. The airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising a second baffle positioned within the second airfoil cavity.

4. The airfoil of claim 1 , further comprising a second airfoil platform at the other of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end, the second airfoil platform having a gaspath surface facing the gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform, and a non-gaspath surface, the airfoil body extending between the first and second airfoil platforms.

5. The airfoil of claim 4 , further comprising a first cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the second airfoil platform fluidly connected to the second airfoil cavity and a second cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the second airfoil platform and fluidly connected to a third airfoil cavity of the hollow body.

6. The airfoil of claim 5 , further comprising a second turn cap fixedly attached to the second airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface covering the first cavity opening of the second airfoil platform and the second cavity opening of the second airfoil platform such that the first cavity opening of the second airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening of the second airfoil platform and the second airfoil cavity is fluidly connected to the third airfoil cavity.

7. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the first turn cap comprises a peripheral edge configured to contact the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform.

8. The airfoil of claim 7 , wherein the first turn cap is welded or brazed to the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform along the peripheral edge.

9. The airfoil of claim 1 , wherein the first airfoil cavity and the second airfoil cavity form one up pass and one down pass of a serpentine cavity within the hollow body.

10. A method of manufacturing an airfoil, the method comprising:

forming a hollow body defining a first airfoil cavity and a second airfoil cavity, the hollow body having an inner diameter end and an outer diameter end;

forming a first airfoil platform at one of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end of the hollow body, the first airfoil platform having a gaspath surface and a non-gaspath surface, wherein the hollow body extends from the gaspath surface;

forming a first cavity opening in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connecting to the first airfoil cavity;

forming a second cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connecting to the second airfoil cavity;

forming a first turn cap separately from the hollow body and the first airfoil platform;

fixedly attaching the first turn cap to the first airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface covering the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and defining a first turning cavity such that the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and the first airfoil cavity is fluidly connected to the second airfoil cavity by the first turning cavity; and

installing a first baffle within the first airfoil cavity.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hollow body is a curved body that forms a bowed vane.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising installing a second baffle within the second airfoil cavity.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a second airfoil platform at the other of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end, the second airfoil platform having a gaspath surface facing the gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform, and a non-gaspath surface, the airfoil body extending between the first and second airfoil platforms.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

forming a first cavity opening in the non-gaspath surface of the second airfoil platform fluidly connecting to the second airfoil cavity; and

forming a second cavity opening in the non-gaspath surface of the second airfoil platform fluidly connecting to a third airfoil cavity in the hollow body.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

forming a second turn cap separately from the hollow body and the first airfoil platform; and

fixedly attaching the second turn cap to the second airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface defining a second turning cavity, the second turn cap covering the first cavity opening of the second airfoil platform and the second cavity opening of the second airfoil platform such that the first cavity opening of the second airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening of the second airfoil platform and the second airfoil cavity is fluidly connected to the third airfoil cavity by the second turning cavity.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first turn cap comprises a peripheral edge configured to contact the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the fixed attachment of the first turn cap is by welding or brazing to the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform along the peripheral edge.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first airfoil cavity and the second airfoil cavity form one up pass and one down pass of a serpentine cavity within the hollow body.

19. An airfoil of a gas turbine engine comprising:

a hollow body defining a first airfoil cavity and a second airfoil cavity, the hollow body having an inner diameter end and an outer diameter end;

a first airfoil platform at one of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end of the hollow body, the first airfoil platform having a gaspath surface and a non-gaspath surface, wherein the hollow body extends from the gaspath surface;

a first cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connected to the first airfoil cavity;

a second cavity opening formed in the non-gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform fluidly connected to the second airfoil cavity;

a first turn cap fixedly attached to the first airfoil platform on the non-gaspath surface covering the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform and defining a first turning cavity such that the first cavity opening of the first airfoil platform is fluidly connected to the second cavity opening of the first airfoil platform by the first turning cavity,

wherein the hollow body is a curved body that forms a bowed vane.

20. The airfoil of claim 19 , further comprising a second airfoil platform at the other of the inner diameter end and the outer diameter end, the second airfoil platform having a gaspath surface facing the gaspath surface of the first airfoil platform, and a non-gaspath surface, the airfoil body extending between the first and second airfoil platforms.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jul 8, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION PRATT & WHITNEY
To: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES AS REPRSENTED BY THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
Reel/Frame 056803/0316 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2017
From: SPANGLER, BRANDON W.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 040952/0327 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180195397A1 · Jul 12, 2018